, 1887-12-28

Srd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (Hescitt) said, 70 cents.
list Member for Frederiksted's Country
'District RassetD said, he had seen ac-
count sales from those Islands netting 70
: cents per gallon; this hadled to some con
strOversy in st. Martins where rum was
Struggled from the Dutch part of the
Island over into the French part, III order
to obtain for the rum the prices pald tor
ram from French Colonies.
lst Member tor Frederiksted (Bro'on),
~what'uuality of rum was sold at that rates
3rl Member for FrederikSteds Country
District tHeWittJ: Ordinary rum, not old
rum.
. .3rd MaiAber for Chrlstiansted's Country
District t%eeuy): Did not kno if his i'm
preston was right, but he f%ancies, that
whenever things are done for st. Croix,
they are only done when done by the
Government. He had been living here
many years, but he had not seen any
liberal support given to any thing OF bene-
fit to planting interest. When the Central
FactorH was established here, the Chief
of that establishment laid all possible
obstacles in the way of immigration OF
.labourers, and that gentleman acted under
the impression partly that We had labour-
ers enough, and partly that the Central
Tactory's purposes were best served by
a.. estates having Observation-Disclosures, whereby
they would be compelled to join the Facto'
/. ry. 1t is also chiefly owing to that impress
: sion, namely that we have sufficient labour
force, that up to this day the same
view is held in other quarters; but plan
tiers, who are daily occupied with these
relations and who have to combat With the
evil, they know that we do need all in
nnnoSo Of lohnJ1r fOran tn OOnntprdrt fhA
constant drain upon the already scanty
supp Y. The belief that planters have
labOurers enough, if only they can cart
canes to the Factory, might be quite good
politics Oh the part of the Factory. but the
planter knows best that the other main
pursuits of his occupation require to IL far
greater extent to have proper available
labOur force. With reference to the applI-
cation in 1886, it is but natural, that the
Minister could not otherwise than follow the
existing law; hut just therefore we bring
i'll u proposal for a new law, and 1t is to be
hoped that the Minister will not refuse this
new law.
LIST Crown Member (QUin) said, it seemed
to him that we want more on
the subject. We have from the hOnOura-
BILE Member who introduced this Draft and
from other Members heard some general
remarks on the matter, and on the other
side we have heard the objections which
the Government has to the proposal; i'll
that way we will be- divided into two camps;
and thus the matter would perhaps come
to IA stand; but it is much too important
to be ended in that way. He did not know,
if he would be in order, If he proposed
that the Draft be referred to a COMMITTEES,
by whom the information needed might be
obtained and submitted. We have Tor in
stance rs yet heard nothing definite as to
the want OF labourers in the Island; some
general remarks have certainly been made;
but at the same time we have heard II great
deal OF talk elsewhere about labourers be-
ing aC times employed only tue bali time;
it should be shown whether such is q fact,
and how far it is a fact. The h|0nOurahle
Member who had introduced this Draft had
mentioned the inducenent which would
be offered to parties to remove from the
West to the East, when Factory stations
shall have been established there, but this
latter is a mere assumption; it remains to be
seen, ifsStatUns will Pc built III East End.
: He would say it would be an excellent
thing in Itself. Even if there be 10
real rush of labourers towards that
quarter, still there can scarcely be
any doubt but that large numbers will
in time be induced to go there. Then
again, we need some definite knowledge
as to the number Of lahOurerS required 20
bee introduced in the manner suggested.